Air translating apparatus



June 25, 1968 MASAYA MATSUYOSHI ET AL 3,390,401

AIR TRANSLATING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 IIIIII ll H hL s3 3 3 m I2 34 F/G'.

June 25, 1968 MASAYA T Hl ET AL 3,390,401

AIR TRANSLATING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q f M o FIG. 4 J el June 1968 MASAYA MATSUYOSHI ET AL 3,390,401

AIR TRAN SLAT ING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,390,401 AIR TRANSLATING APPARATUS Masaya Matsuyoshi and Takashi Kobayashi, Osaka, and Hazime Sako, Toyonaka-shi, Japan, assignors to Matsushita Seiko Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Mar. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 622,540 Claims priority, application Japan, Mar. 16, 1966, 41/24,828; Feb. 6, 1967, 42/10,884, 42/10,885 4 Claims. (Cl. 230-117) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An air translating apparatus using axial fan such as propeller fan. In particular, an air translating apparatus comprising an electric motor having its rotor shaft extending on both sides and axial fans mounted on both extensions of said shaft respectively, whereby air sucked into the apparatus through air sucking openings in the opposite end walls of the apparatus casing is delivered outwardly through an air discharge opening in the front wall of said casing after deflecting the air stream by a deflector.

The present invention relates to an air translating apparatus of the type which is adapted to be used for a variety of applications, e.g. as an air circulator and a small-size fan.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air translating apparatus which is capable of producing an air stream most effectively used for the circulation of air by relationally deflecting the air streams generated by axial fans by means of a deflector.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air translating apparatus wherein the shaft of an axial fan is operatively connected at one end to a resilient joint, with the other end thereof journalled in a shock absorbing bearing, whereby it is possible to reduce the noise to minimum and to prevent deformation of the fan shaft or rotor shaft during operation, and further to facilitate the manufacture of the apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an air translating apparatus wherein the principal body of the apparatus is mounted on a base in a manner such that its angle of elevation or depression may be changed freely, so that the air stream generated by the apparatus may be directed in an optional direction in accordance with the configuration of a room wherein the apparatus is used and thereby the air circulation efficiency is enhanced.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, reference may now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air translating apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus with an upper section of the apparatus casing removed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the upper section of the apparatus casing;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of an electric motor and parts associated therewith;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a base;

FIG. 8 is a front elevation, in cross section, of the base;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the base illustrating the manner in which the inventive apparatus is mounted thereon;

FIG. 10 is a cross section of a bearing;

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FIG. I1 is an exploded view of the bearing shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the manner in which the bearing shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is mounted in the apparatus; and

FIG. 13 is a front elevation showing the relative position of the bearing with respect to the upper and lower sections of the apparatus casing.

First of all, the overall construction of the inventive air translating apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The principal body of the air translating apparatus generally designated at A is composed of an air translating equipment, comprising an electric motor, fans to be driven by said electric motor and a speed control mechanism, and a casing for accommodating said air translating equipment therein. The air translating apparatus is vertically swingably mounted on a base B by way of elevation-depression adjusting means C, provided at the top of the base, so that the angle of elevation or depression of the air translating apparatus may be varied optionally.

The detail construction of each constitutional element described above will become apparent from the following description.

The casing 1 has a configuration defined by a substantially semicylindrical surface 2 in the rear half portion, and a sloped surface 3 in the lower portion and a forwardly extending flat surface 4 in the front upper portion of said casing, which are successively connected to said semicylindrical surface 2. Air suction openings 5 and 6 are formed in the opposite end walls, while an air discharge opening 7 is formed in the front wall of the casing, said openings being provided with louvers 8, 9 and 10 respectively as shown. The casing 1 is composed of an upper section 11 (hereinafter referred to as upper casing) and a lower section 12 (hereinafter referred to as lower casing), which are combined integrally by means of screws 14 which are extending through the upper casing 11 with their lower ends screwed in respective fittings 13 extending upwardly from the lower casing 12. In the central portions of the upper and lower casings 11 and 12 are mounted the halves of a deflector 17 respectively, each of which is formed with forwardly converted side walls 15 and 16 and which together define an electric motor compartment 18. A rectangular hole 19 is bored in the flat bottom wall 20 in the electric motor compartment 18 of the lower casing 12 and a fixture 21 having a downwardly extending portion 23 is fixedly mounted on said flat bottom wall 20 by means of a plurality of screws 22, with said downwardly extending portion 23 protruding outwardly of the lower casing 12 through said hole 19. Mounted in the electric motor compartment 18 is a Kumatori-type electric motor which is secured to the fixture 21 and whose rotor shaft 25 is extending outwardly from both sides of the motor. An insulating plate 26 is provided above the electric motor for holding the intermediate portions of lead wires 27' from said motor. An oil reservoir 28 is formed on the underside of the insulating plate 26, from which a lubricant is supplied to bearings 29 of the motor 24, through respective twisted yarns 27 provided therebetween. A change-over switch 30 is provided by means of which connections to coils 32, would on the stator core 31 of the motor, is changed over as desired to change the rotational frequency of the rotor. The change-over switch is operated by a lever 33 which is extending downwardly through a slot 34 formed in the bottom wall of the lower casing 12. A power cord 34 for the motor is led to the exterior of the casing 1 through a bushing 35. The lead wires 27 are connected to each other by a coupling 36. The side walls 15 and 16 of the deflector 17 are formed with apertures 37 and 38 respectively.

Indicated at 39 and 40 are joints made of a resilient material, such as rubber, and mounted on both end extremities of the rotor shaft 25. Each of the joints is formed in the central portion thereof with a peripheral groove 41 or 42 providing for easy flexion of said joint. Fan shafts 43 and 44 have one end journalled in respective bearings 45 and 46, and have the other ends extending through the apertures 37 and 38 in the side walls 15 and 16 of the deflector 17 and integrally connected to the respective ends of the rotor shaft 25 by means of the respective joints 39 and 49. On the fan shafts 43 and 44 are securely mounted axial fans 47 and 48 respectively in a predetermined spaced relation to the side walls 15 and 16 of the deflector 17, the helix angles of said axial fans being opposite to each other. The construction of the bearings 45 and 46 supporting one end of the fan shafts 43 and 44 respectively is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Since the bearings 45 and 46 are identical in construction, description will be given only on the bearing 45 supporting the fan shaft 43. A bearing metal 49, by which the fan shaft 43 is directly supported in a rotational fashion, is made of a porous nickel-chromium alloy or a polyamide resin added with molybdenum disulfide. The peripheral surface as Well as the end surfaces of the bearing metal 49 are surrounded by felts t), 51 and 50' in contact therewith, which are always impregnated with a lubricating oil, so that the lubricating oil is fed to the rotating surface of the fan shaft 43 through the bearing metal 49 to form a lubricant film thereon. A bearing case 52 has annular flanges 53 and 54 formed on the peripheral surface thereof at one end and a point approximating to the other end, in which the aforementioned felts 50, 51 and 50 and bearing metal 49 are received, with said bearing metal arranged in the center thereof. The open end of the bearing case 52 is covered With a cap 55 so as to prevent the lubricating oil impregnated in the felts 50, 51 and 50 from flowing to the outside, said cap being made of a resilient material, such as rubber, and having its open edges 55 elastically fitted on the flange 54 of the bearing case 52. The felt 50 and the cap 55 are formed with holes 56 and 57 respectively through which fan shaft extends.

The bearing 45 of the construction described above may be mounted in the casing 1 in a simple manner without requiring any special fitting such as screw. Namely, as shown in FIGS. 5, l2 and 13, a pair of semicylindrical notches 58 and 59, which are snugly enga-geable with the halves of the cylindrical surface of the bearing case 52, are formed in the center of the side walls of the upper and lower casings 11 and 12 and further a pair of arcuate grooves 60 and 61 are formed in the semicylindrical surfaces of said notches 58 and 59' for receiving the outer flanges 53 of the respective bearing cases 52. In fitting the bearing 45 in the casing 1, the lower half of the bearing is first fitted in the notch 59 in the lower casing 12, with the lower half of the flange 53 received in the groove 61, and then the upper casing 11 is lowered to engage with the lower casing 12, with the notch 58 fitting on the upper half of the bearing case 52 and the groove 60 fitting on the upper half of the flange 53. Thus, the bearing 45 is held in the end wall of the casing 1 positively by being clamped between the upper and lower casings 11 and 12. Needless to say, the other bearing 46 is mounted in the opposite end wall of the casing 1 in the same manner as described above.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, there are shown the base and the elevation-depression angle adjusting means for the principal body of the air translating apparatus. The base 62 has upstraight support legs 63 and 64 mounted thereon. A pivot pin 65 has vertical through-holes 66 and 67 formed adjacent to the opposite ends thereof and is connected to the support legs with the top ends of said support legs extending through said respective through holes. The pivot pin is held in position with respect to the support legs by means of stopper pins 68 and 69 inserted from both ends of said pivot pin through said legs. A generally U-shaped fitting 70 is rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 55 and its flexed edges 71 and 72 are confronted by the fixture 21 with the lower casing 12 intervening therebetween and fixed to said lower casing by means of a plurality of screws 22 together with said fixture. In this case, as is seen from the figures, the downwardly extending portion 23 of the fixture 21, protruding through the hole 19 in the lower casing 12, is received in the air space formed between the opposite side walls of the fitting 70, with its lower end resting on said pivot pin 65. Thus, it will be seen that the casing 1 of the air translating apparatus is vertically swingably supported on the pivot pin by way of the fitting 70. In the bottom of the downwardly extending portion 23 is formed a slot 73 which receives a stopper pin 75 protruding from the peripheral surface of the pivot pin 65. The stopper pin 75 is provided for the purpose of preventing the casing 1 from being damaged upon excessive vertical swinging movement of the same and also preventing the fitting 70 from sliding axially of the pivot pin 65. The casing 1 may be retained at a desired angle of elevation or depression by securing the fitting 70 to the pivot pin 65 by means of a fixing screw 76 which is extending through said fitting 70 and brought into abutment against the peripheral surface of the pivot pin 65 by revolving a knob 74. In the figures, numeral 77 designates oil supply ports.

The air translating apparatus of the construction described above operates in the following manner.

When the electric motor 24 is set in motion to drive the fans 47 and 48, the outside air is sucked into the casing 1 through the air suction openings 5 and 6 in the opposite end walls of the casing and blown against the deflector 17. The air streams thus generated are deflected by the side walls 15 and 16 of the deflector 17 by nearly degrees and discharged forwardly of the casing 1 through the discharge opening 7 in the front wall of said casing. In this case, part of the air blown against the deflector 17 fiovvs into the electric motor compartment 18 through the apertures 37 and 38 in the side walls 15 and 16 of said deflector and discharged to the outside, e.g. through the hole 19 formed in the bottom wall of the lower casing 12. This air stream cools the electric motor 24 precluding over-heating of said motor. It is to be noted, however, that, since the apertures 37 and 38 in the side walls 15 and 16 are located in confronting relation to the central portions of the fans 47 and 48 and the flow rate of air becomes greater at a point further re mote from the center of the fans towards the outer ends thereof, the amount of air flowing into the electric motor compartment 18 is so small relative to that being delivered through the air discharge opening 7 that it has no substantial adverse effect on the performance of the apparatus.

In operating the inventive air translating apparatus, the space interval between the side walls 15 and 16 of the deflector 17 and the respective fans 47 and 48 is of great significance relative to the air translating efiiciency and the noise characteristic of the apparatus. Lets consider, for instance, the case wherein the space interval between the side walls 15 and 16 and the fans 47 and 48 is too small. In this case, the air streams caused by the fans 47 and 48 collide against the side walls 15 and 16 with large pressure, so that they are reflected by said walls towards the respective fans. The air streams thus reflected, therefore, intercross the air streams being generated by the respective fans, with the result that air swirls are produced, which not only lowers the air translation efficiency of the apparatus substantially but also generate noise. On the contrary. an excessively large space interval between the fans 47 and 48 and the side walls 15 and 16 is not desirable either, because the pres sure of the air streams caused by the fans is attenuated before reaching the respective side walls.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the space interval between the fans and the side walls of the deflector should be made as large as possible, providing that an adequate pressure of the air streams is maintained. However, provision of a large space interval therebetween involves a variety of problems. Suppose that the fans are mounted directly on the rotor shaft 25 of the motor, instead of the fan shafts 43 and 44, by extending said rotor shaft by a length equivalent to the length of said fan shafts in both directions. In this case, the rotor shaft becomes too long, inevitably resulting in deflection of the rotor shaft at an intermediate portion due to the weight of the fans as well as the own weight of the rotor shaft. Consequently, the rotational fulcrum of the fan is displaced constantly, making it impossible to obtain a smooth rotation of the fan. Moreover, under this state, the rotor shaft 25 tends to be subjected to deformation due to the centrifugal force developed in the fans which are rotating about a displacing rotational fulcrum. In addition, it will be obvious that fabrication of the long shaft in a small diameter is accompanied by much difliculty and that use of such a long shaft presents inconvenience in the assembling work of the air translating apparatus.

The above-mentioned drawbacks can be eliminated entirely by the use of the fan shafts 43 and 44, as in the present invention, which are connected to the opposite ends of the short rotor shafts 25 by way of the joints 30 and 40. Namely, the use of the fan shafts enables the deflection of the rotor shaft 25 as well as said fan shafts to be obviated and further is of high advantage in the fabrication of the rotor shaft and assembling work of the air translating apparatus. According to the present invention, one end of the fan shafts 43 and 44 are supported by the bearings 45 and 46, and the bearing metals 49 which are directly bearing the fan shafts are mounted in the respective bearing cases 52 with the felts 50, 51 and 50' interposed therebetween which are resilient to some extent. Therefore, the fan shafts are displaceable in a bearing direction under an external force applied thereto. Still according to the present invention, the joints 39 and 40, made of a resilient material such as rubber, are formed with the peripheral grooves 41 and 42 in the mid portion respectively so as to provide for easy flexion of said joints. If the axes of the fan shafts 43 and 44 are not in alignment with the axis of the rotor shaft 25 when they are to be connected to each other, therefore, such a misalignment is taken care of by the flexion of the joints 39 and 40 at the peripheral grooves 41 and 42 as well as by the displacement of the bearing metals 49 in the bearings 45 and 46. In other words, the joints 39 and 40' serve as a universal joint enabling the centers of rotation of the fan shafts 43 and 44 to be held in a fixed position. It should also be understood that any vibration of the fan shafts 43 and 44 caused by possible weight unbalance between the fans 47 and 48 may be absorbed by the resilient joints 39 and 40 and by the felts 50, 51 and 50' in the respective bearings 45 and 46 and, therefore, is not transmitted to the casing 1.

The air stream being delivered outwardly through the air discharge opening 7 in the front wall of the casing 1 includes, besides the air stream deflected by the deflector 17 as described above, another component air stream. Namely, while a large proportion .of the air stream generated by each of the rotating fans 47 and 48 is directed towards the side wall 15 or 16 of the deflector, some portion of the air stream flows towards the periphery of said fan. This air stream is also led to the air discharge opening 7 by being guided by the semicylindrical surface 2 formed in the substantially rear half portion of the casing 1 and delivered outwardly through said opening. The air stream being delivered through the air discharge opening 7, therefore, is a confluence of the air streams deflected by the deflector 17 and the air stream guided by the semicylindrical surface 2 of the casing. The pressure of the air stream thus formed and being delivered through the air discharge opening 7 is substantially uniform over a cross section through any point in front of said opening.

Description will now be given as to how the angle of elevation or depression of the principal body A of the air translating apparatus is adjusted.

The body A of the air translating apparatus may be held stationary at an optional angle of elevation or depression by way of the fitting 70 which is secured to the pivot pin 65 by the fixing screw 76. For adjusting the angle of elevation or depression of the body A, therefore, the fixing screw 76 is unscrewed to loosen the engagement between it and the pivot pin 65, whereby the fitting 70 and therefore, the principal body A .of the air translating apparatus are brought into a swingable state. Thereafter, the body A is tilted with hands to a desired angle of elevation or depression and secured in that position by tightening the fixing screw 76. In this case, it is to be noted that the swinging of the body A is restricted by the engagement of the stopper pin 75 on the pivot pin 65 with the opposite edges of the slot 73 in the bottom of the downwardly extending portion 23 of the fixture 21. Such a restriction is necessary to prevent deformation and/ or damage of the casing 1 resulting from collision against the base 62 or support legs 63 and 64 upon sharp swinging of the body'A when the body is inadvertently released from a hand.

Next, the utility of the inventive air translating apparatus will be described briefly hereunder. First of all, the inventive air translating apparatus may be used either as a small size fan or as a fan of large air blowing capacity. Unlike most conventional fans with which the human body is exposed to the air stream generated directly by the fan, the inventive air translating apparatus is of hygienical advantage because the air stream generated by the fans in the apparatus is blown against the human body indirectly after having been deflected by the deflector and the semicylindrical surface of the casing. The inventive apparatus may also be used for the circulation of air. For instance, by mounting the air translating apparatus on the upper portion of the wall of a room being heated, by means of the base, with the air discharge opening directing downwardly, the heated air in the upper portion of the room is sucked into the casing through the air suction openings in the opposite side walls of said casing and delivered towards the lower portion of the room where the temperature of air is relatively low. Thus, the temperature in the room is uniformalized, improving the heating efficiency of a heater used. In addition, with the inventive apparatus, the uniformalization of the room temperature can be attained in a short period of time due to the fact that the air is sucked into the casing from both ends thereof and discharged in a large width under a uniform pressure. In other words, the inventive apparatus has a high air circulation efficiency.

Another feature of this invention resides in the rational manner in which the rotor shaft of the electric motor is connected to the fan shafts. Namely, even when the rotor shaft is not axially aligned with the fan shafts, the resilient joint connecting them together is flexed accordingly, acting as a universal joint. Additionally, the other ends of the fan shafts are movable in the respective bearings in the bearing direction to some extent due to the presence of the felts enclosing the bearing metals. Owing to the arrangement described, smooth rotation of the fan shafts about the axes thereof can be assured, with no vibration. Even if vibration occurs, such vibration would be absorbed by the resilient joints and felts and is in no way transmitted to the casing of the air translating apparatus.

It should also be acted that, since the body of this apparatus is mounted 011 the support legs of the base by means of the pivot pin in such a manner that its angle of elevation .or depression may be adjusted freely, and the swinging movement of the apparatus is restricted by the engagement between the opposite edges of the slot in the downwardly extending portion of the fixture and the stopper pin, the angle of elevation or depression may be readily adjusted very simply by loosening the fixing screw and collision of the body of the apparatus against the base or support legs can be avoided. Therefore, not Only is it possible to prevent damage or deformation of the casing but also there is no danger of having a finger pinched during the angle adjusting operation.

When the inventive air translating apparatus is used for air circulation, the circulating direction of air may be changed readily due to the arrangement described above. This makes it possible to obtain the best air circulation with respect to the conditions, eg the size, of a room wherein the apparatus is used and thereby to make use of the performance of the apparatus to the fullest extent.

What is claimed is:

1. An air translating apparatus comprising a casing having air suction openings formed in the opposite end walls and an air discharge Opening formed in the front Wall thereof, an electric motor, fan shafts having one end operatively connected to the opposite ends of the rotor shaft of said electric motor and the other ends journalled in respective bearings each having a shock absorbing function, axial fans mounted on said respective fan shafts, a deflector adapted to deflect the air stream generated by said respective axial fans to proceed towards said air discharge opening, and a base for mounting said casing thereon in such a manner that the angle of elevation or depression of said casing may be adjusted optionally.

2. An air translating apparatus comprising a casing con sisting of upper and lower sections and having air suction openings formed in the opposite end walls and an air discharge opening formed in the front wall thereof, an electric motor, a deflector arranged to surround said electric motor, the rotor shaft of said electric motor having both ends extending outwardly through the opposite walls of said deflector, bearings mounted in the opposite end walls of said casing in opposed relation to the respective ends of said rotor shaft and each consisting of a bearing case and a bearing metal disposed in said bearing case and enclosed with a lubricant impregnated felt, fan shafts having one end operatively connected to the respective ends of said rotor shaft by means of a joint made of a resilient material and the other ends journalled in said bearings respectively, and axial fans having an opposite heliX angle to each other and mounted on said fan shafts respectively.

3. An air translating apparatus comprising a casing having air suction openings formed in the opposite end walls and an air discharge opening formed in the front wall thereof, a fixture having a downwardly extending portion protruding outwardly of said casing and formed with a slot in the bottom thereof, an electric motor mounted on said fixture, a deflector, axial fans arranged in opposed relation to each other on both sides of said deflector, a base having support legs mounted thereon and a pivot pin fixedly mounted on the top ends of said support legs, said pivot pin being provided with a stopper pin, and a fitting rotatably mounted on said pivot pin for receiving said downwardly extending portion of the fixture therein and having a fixing screw extending therethrough for engagement with the peripheral surface of said pivot pin, said stopper pin on the pivot pin being adapted to engage with the opposite edges of said slot formed in the bottom of the downwardly extending portion of the fixture so as to define the range in which the angle of elevation or depression of said casing is adjusted.

4. An air translating apparatus comprising a casing consisting of upper and lower sections and having air suction openings formed in the opposite ends walls and an air discharge opening formed in the front wall thereof, the rear half portion of said casing forming a semicylindrical surface, a fixture having a downwardly extending portion protruding outwardly of said casing and formed with a slot in the bottom thereof, an electric motor mounted on said fixture, a deflector arranged to surround said electric motor, the rotor shaft of said electric motor having both ends extending outwardly through the 0pposite walls of said deflector, bearings mounted in the opposite end walls of said casing in opposed relation to the respective ends of said rotor shaft and each consisting of a bearing case and a bearing metal disposed in said bearing case and enclosed with a lubricant impregnated felt, fan shafts having one end operatively connected to the respective ends of said rotor shaft by means of a joint made of a resilient material and the other ends journalled in said respective bearings, axial fans having an opposite helix angle to each other and mounted on said respective fan shafts, a base having support legs mounted thereon and a pivot pin fixedly mounted to the top ends of said support legs, said pivot pin being provided with a stopper pin, and a fitting rotatably mounted on said pivot pin for receiving said downwardly extending portion of the fixture therein and having a fixing screw extending thcrethrough for engagement with the peripheral surface of said pivot pin, said stopper pin on the pivot pin being adapted to engage with the opposite edges of said slot in the bottom of the downwardly extending portion of the fixture so as to define the range in which the angle of elevation or depression of said casing is adjusted.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

